Hi, dolls. I have been reflecting on the last year, and there are some things I felt I did well and some things on which I think I could improve. I’d like 2025 to be a year where we all spend a bit more time on self care, so below are a few things I’ve undertaken that I highly recommend you try, alongside a few things I’d like to do better.

1. Grüns Daily Gummies. Beloved and I started these a month ago, and they’re a real game changer. Grüns are a dietary supplement designed to simplify your nutritional intake. After my surgery, my digestive system was all kinds of wonky, and these gummies have fixed me. Sure, they’re somewhat expensive, coming in at just under $2 per day, but I can cut out my other supplements, and I feel so much better!
2. Gratitude. I’m not one to keep a journal (the blog really serves that purpose for me), but I have started taking a few minutes every morning when I first wake up to list in my head the things for which I am grateful. It’s a nice way to start the day before the inevitable daily horrors and stressors turn up, and it helps remind me of just how much I in my life for which I am grateful. You’re all on that list!
3. Avoiding anxious-making shows and movies. As the election started ramping up this year, I decided for my own mental stability to try to limit myself to more positive-leaning entertainment, especially right before I go to sleep. Shows like Shrinking and Man on the Inside have replaced the police procedurals and other suspenseful/violent shows I used to watch, and whenever I feel particularly hopeless, rewatching Ted Lasso helps me find my equilibrium again. (I still love you, Sons of Anarchy, but I need a break.)
4. Getting outside. This is a practice I need to get back to. In the past, I made time just about every day to go outside on our back deck and just breathe and take in the water and the sky. But since my knee complications, I have gotten out of the habit. I want to remember to enjoy my surroundings again.
5. Ease up on the doomscrolling. Since about June of this year, I’ve been working to replace the political social media accounts I followed with more positive, non-political content, mostly cats, dogs, and ducks, if I’m honest. Yes, I still spend too much time looking at my phone, but at least I’m mostly looking at cute baby animals…
6. Stretching. This is something I (re)learned from my physical therapist. The simple act of taking a moment every hour to stretch does wonders for both your physical and mental comfort. And as I continue in my post-surgery recovery, I am able to do more complex stretches which is definitely helping me feel better. Looking forward to getting well enough to do yoga in 2025.
7. Drink more water. Self-explanatory, I know, but sometimes it’s hard to remember. I’ve seen first-hand what dehydration can do to the elderly, so I figure if I can make sure drinking enough water is a habit now, I will have a better chance of carrying it into my later years.

I’d love to hear what practices have been successful for you and what you’re hoping to try going forward.